Jonathan Moyo Challenges Sanctions Narrative in Zimbabwe

March 7, 2023by De Paul

Jonathan Moyo Denies Claims of Zimbabwe Sanctions Removal

Jonathan Moyo, a former cabinet minister in exile, has refuted claims that there are no sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe. According to Moyo, it is merely propaganda to suggest that the recent clarification by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), stating that neither the bank nor Zimbabwe’s imports/exports, including gold trade, are subject to sanctions, amounts to the government’s confirmation that Zimbabwe is not under sanctions.

This statement follows a recent accusation by the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), led by Nelson Chamisa, stating that Zimbabwe should stop lobbying based on lies. This was in response to a yet-to-be-released Al Jazeera documentary, which allegedly implicates the RBZ as the “Southern Africa’s laundromat” of the “gold mafia,” involved in money laundering activities on behalf of Zimbabwe’s ruling elite to bypass sanctions.

In response to the allegations, RBZ governor John Mangudya vehemently denied the claims and defended the bank’s integrity. He refuted the central premise of the money laundering allegations, which suggested that the bank engages in “sanctions-busting” activities to turn illegal cash into gold for sale globally.

Jonathan Moyo Challenges Sanctions Narrative in Zimbabwe

“The bank is not a sanctioned entity and the cited individuals are not sanctioned persons either,” Mangudya said in his statement, referring to several businesspeople and officials named in the documentary including gold dealers Ewan Macmillan, Henrietta Rushwaya, Kamlesh Pattni and President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ambassador at large, Uebert Angel.

The governor added: “There are no sanctions on Zimbabwean exports and imports, including trade in gold to warrant Zimbabwe to circumvent international sanctions through illicit trade in gold. As such, the claim that there is a scheme to bust international sanctions using illicit ways shows beyond doubt that the peddlers of this narrative have a sinister agenda with nefarious objectives of tarnishing both the bank and the Republic of Zimbabwe.”

For the past two decades, the ruling Zanu PF party has claimed unilateral sanctions by the European Union and the United States on certain individuals and arms companies have derailed the country’s development and wreaked havoc on the country’s economy, which those countries deny.

CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said with his angry statement, Mangudya had let slip that the sanctions narrative was all propaganda.

“Today, the governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has announced that there are no sanctions on Zimbabwean imports and exports,” Mahere said. “The real problem in Zimbabwe is corruption and bad governance. No need to lobby on lies any longer.”

In rebutting the notion of no sanctions, Prof Moyo said:

“It’s desperate propaganda to claim that RBZ’s clarification that it is not a sanctioned entity, neither are Zim imports/exports, including trade in gold, is govt’s confirmation that there are no sanctions on Zim.

“RBZ is not govt & Zim sanctions are #Zdera, not international!”

“And #Zdera sanctions are not on RBZ or Zim imports/exports or trade in gold; imposed to reverse land reform, they hike Zim’s sovereign risk & cost of doing biz, scuttle debt relief & access to concessionary finance to the detriment of the economy, Zim lives and livelihoods!”